According to Peeter Lusmägi, head of Sport for All of the Estonian Olympic Committee, the number of the events and participants despite the coronavirus pandemic is rather impressive.
“Summing up the figures today, it can be said that residents and organizations in Estonia gave a very warm welcome to the Week of Sport held for the sixth year in a row despite the worrying situation. Statistics show that nearly one in six Estonian residents took part in the events of the Week of Sport, and the NOC as well as the association ‘Sports for All’ would like to sincerely thank everyone who contributed to the initiative, the organizers and participants alike. This year’s slogan of the Week of Sport is ‘Moving is always a win!’, and I hope we have managed to give even those Estonian residents who do not engage in regular sports activities yet a positive impulse,” Lusmägi said.
The goal of the Week of Sport was to provide as many local people as possible with positive sports-related impressions and experiences. The ambassadors of the Week of Sport 2020 to set an example and inspire people to be more active were Olympic champion Gerd Kanter, singer Inger, actor Kait Kall, bodybuilder and businessman Ott Kiivikas, entrepreneur Kristel Kruustük, rector Tiit Land, and influencer Sandra Raju.
Inger, who is also a coach in Martin Reim’s school of football, is concerned with children’s physical activity as a hobby. “Physical activity is very important in our lives. When you start your day with some movement and finish it off in the same way, it makes you feel the day has been a good one. During the opening event of the Week of Sport in Viimsi, I did warm-up exercises in front of 240 kids for the first time, and it was great to see how they came along, and how their eyes lit up. This feeling is what also motivates me to be more and more active!”
Rector Tiit Land says being active is also important for the social aspect of our lives. “Not only is physical activity important for staying fit but also for adapting to the social environment. At the same time, one needs to know one’s abilities and keep things balanced, understanding that you do not always have to be better than your neighbour,” Land noted.
The highlights of the Sports Week 2020 was the opening event, The Charity Relay Race, that brought 11,000 schoolchildren to 28 different cities and towns to run for the charity; the BeActive Run, and the physical fitness test known as the ‘NATO test’ being taken by Estonian sports people and celebrities. In addition, numerous other events were organized all over Estonia.
The most active messengers of the Week of Sport in Estonia were general education schools and kindergartens, which initiated the organization of 1088 events. Fitness clubs offered additional fitness opportunities to the public 213 times, and employers organized 72 events. In total, 192,955 participations were registered during the Week of Sport, which makes it the largest project in Estonia to promote sports and healthy lifestyle choices.
In Estonia, the Sports Week is organized by the Estonian Olympic Committee in collaboration with the association “Sport Kõigile” [Sports for All]. The organization of the Sports Week is supported by the Erasmus+ program, the Ministry of Culture and Coop Eesti. Useful and interesting information about all-year-round fitness activities can be found on the NOC’s web portal www.liigume.ee and the Facebook page www.facebook.com/eestimaaliigub.